Sudan investment bill passes House; debate limited

Wednesday

SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois House voted 98-15 Tuesday for legislation preventing the state’s five pension systems from making future investments in companies that do business in Sudan.

By ADRIANA COLINDRES

STATE CAPITOL BUREAU

SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois House voted 98-15 Tuesday for legislation preventing the state’s five pension systems from making future investments in companies that do business in Sudan.

“It’s time for us to make a statement in the state of Illinois,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. David Miller, D-Lynwood. “We do not want to invest in terrorist nations.”

Miller noted during House floor debate that President Bush on Tuesday ordered economic sanctions against Sudan. The move is an attempt to put a stop to violence in the Darfur region of the country.

Immediately after the House vote was tallied on Senate Bill 1169, Republican Rep. David Leitch of Peoria asked why he had not been allowed to speak during debate.

Rep. Joe Lyons, the Chicago Democrat who was presiding officer in the House at the time, said the legislation had been placed on “extended debate.” Under House rules, if a bill is on “extended debate,” a total of 10 people may speak for or against it.

Leitch persisted: “Since when don’t members have the right, under the rules of this House, to ask questions about important bills that come before this chamber?”

Lyons said he routinely tries to extend debate so lawmakers can ask extra questions, but he added that the Sudan legislation had not been on “unlimited debate,” meaning an unlimited number of House members could ask questions about it.

Leitch said: “Well, I think it is an outrage that that bill was not put on unlimited debate because the implications of that bill and the questions that pertain to some of the details within that bill have a great impact on whether many of us could support that bill or not. I think it is just disgusting that that bill was not given a more thorough vetting here in this chamber.”

Leitch, who voted “no” on the bill, then tried to force the House to adjourn. But his motion to adjourn failed.

Senate Bill 1169 still must pass in the Senate and be signed by the governor before it can become law.

Adriana Colindres can be reached at (217) 782-6292 or adriana.colindres@sj-r.com.